


Cats

by maximum_overboner



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Cute, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Papster - Freeform, Seasonal, also as part of a christmas thing, cute boyfriends jingling, gaster tries his very best, gift exchanging!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-11 23:51:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9044612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maximum_overboner/pseuds/maximum_overboner
Summary: A present that happens to be perfect for you in all respects can still be horrifying.





	

**Author's Note:**

> another christmas fic. the prompt this time was 'might I ask for Gaster trying to be decent by giving someone a 'nice' Christmas gift? Bonus points if the present is actually terrible and/or horrifying'
> 
> merry christmas!

“WOW, A _PRESENT?_ FOR _ME?”_ **  
**

‘You don’t have to play coy, you know I would get you anything you wanted.’

“I KNOW,” Papyrus admitted, hands on his gift, rubbing at the wrapper, “BUT IT SEEMED RUDE TO JUST SAY THAT.”

Gaster smiled, pleased with his choice of gift, and also five brandies deep into the evening.

‘Open it, then.’

“I WILL!”

Papyrus tore into his gift while Gaster affectionately admired his own, an excruciatingly tacky hand-knit Christmas sweater that he couldn’t wear, on account of his body shape, but was appreciated nonetheless. The wrapping gone, the box opened, and Papyrus could finally see what was inside.

Bones.

Hundreds of tiny bones, loosely padded together with paper to keep the from breaking, perfect and clean.

“WH… WHAT IS THIS?”

‘A cat skeleton. I thought, since you’re a skeleton, and you have a deep affection for cats, that it was a perfect gift. You can assemble it yourself, or with me, if you would like to make an event of it. I think the time together would do us some good. I had them macerated by a professional, you know. Only the best for you. What did you want to call your first cat, again?’

“M-MITTENS.”

‘Good, I remembered.’

Papyrus looked to the little wrapped package in the top left of the box, before his shaking hands pulled it out. ‘Mittens’ was inscribed on the plaque, with pegs to attach it to the wooden base kept at the bottom of the box.

‘Your favourite animal,’ he said wistfully, reclining in his chair and running his hand affectionately along Papyrus’ back, oddly somber while he looked at him, ‘but you don’t have to worry about it ever growing old, diseased, dying. You can sew a little Santa hat for it. Very festive.’

Every inch of Papyrus’ bones crawled as he looked at it, felt the gentle rattle of the cat’s skeleton as he gently shook the box. But, it was Christmas, so, above all, above everything, it was the thought that counted.

“HONEY?”

‘Yes?’

“I LOVE IT.”

A gentle smile, sincere and plastered.

‘I was worried you wouldn’t, I thought you might not have the stomach for the macabre. The way they do it is fascinating. It’s all about letting the bacteria eat the remaining flesh, without compromising the firmness of the bones itself. Usually, the oils rise to the top and have to be skimmed, while any loose hide sinks to the bottom. Once the water it sits in stops going rancid, it’s ready.’

He leaned down, head swimming, to give Papyrus a long, sweet kiss on the forehead, while Papyrus’ gaze remained transfixed on the animal corpse.

“I’M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, HONEY… I… THOUGHT MY FIRST CAT WOULD BE ALIVE.”

Gaster pondered the statement in earnest.

‘If you had told me that, I would have gotten you one, lemman.’

Papyrus looked up at him, incredulous.

“YOUR… _FIRST_ THOUGHT WAS TO GET A DEAD ONE?”

‘They don’t make as much mess, or yowl. Presumably, because they are dead.’

“THAT… THAT’S A VERY GOOD POINT, ACTUALLY.”

‘Would you like help assembling her?’

“PLEASE. I MEAN… IT’S NOT AS IF I CAN UNMURDER THE CAT. I MIGHT AS WELL PUT HER ON A PLAQUE AND CLOTHE HER IN TINY HATS.”

‘My thoughts exactly. Merry Christmas, love.’

“MERRY CHRISTMAS!”

They kissed, and Papyrus made the effort to kick his leg up, like in those old movies he would watch.


End file.
